On this edition of the Project Upland Podcast we talk about hunting scaled quail in west Texas with Ryan O’Shaughnessy of West Texas Quail Outfitters.

Ryan is the owner and operator of West Texas Quail Outfitters where he provides fully guided quail hunts in West Texas. Our conversation covers Ryan’s upland hunting story, how he wound up in the guiding business and the current state of quail hunting in west Texas. As a research biologist at Su Rol State University, Ryan has a unique and interesting perspective on upland hunting and guiding.

Let us introduce ourselves: we are Ryan, Kara, Riley, and Madison O’Shaughnessy and we live in Alpine, Texas! I was born in Zimbabwe and raised in Botswana, and my wife, Kara, grew up in Florida. With our daughters Riley and Madison, we absolutely love living in Alpine, and we love the wide open spaces of west Texas.

We like to think of upland bird hunting as ‘the gentleman’s game.’ We see quail hunting as the preserve of the double gun, a place for side-by-sides and over-and-unders to call home. Quail hunting is a place to get away from the camouflage of the duck and deer blinds, a place to wear your quail vest and stroll behind pointing dogs while conversing with good friends. There’s nothing better than enjoying a great day of hunting and relaxing at sunset with a glass of whiskey and a fine cigar.

Nick Larson is a regular contributor to various upland hunting publications and blogs. He is also the host and creator of the Project Upland podcast. He lives with his wife and English setter in Duluth, Minnesota where he avidly pursues the outdoors with a passion. He spends most of his time hunting, or at least thinking about hunting, grouse and woodcock in the northern forests of Minnesota and Wisconsin. When he's not upland bird hunting, he truly enjoys spending time at the cabin, reading outdoor literature and continually studying his pursuits. He also enjoys sharing his passions with others as well as interviewing and connecting with those that are deeply immersed into the outdoor lifestyle.